A method for the manufacture of a processed soy protein product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a processed, solid soya protein product derived from soya bean meal (SBM) which protein product comprises 65-75% protein by weight of dry matter, has a protein to potassium weight ratio of at least about 50:1 and a dry matter content of at least about 90%, which product is substantially free of sodium, and wherein at least about 65% by weight of the indigestible oligosaccharide content of the SBM wherefrom the protein is derived has been removed; the method comprises the following steps: 1) providing an initial mixture comprising milled or flaked or otherwise disintegrated soya bean meal (SBM) and water; 2) leaching the initial mixture under conditions where the dry matter amount in the initial mixture is between 8 and 20% by weight, for 0.15 to 6 hours at a temperature of 5 to 65° C. and at neutral pH; 3) separating the leaching mixture in a liquid fraction and a first solid fraction; 4) adjusting the pH of the liquid fraction from the initial leaching mixture with acid to a value of 3.5 to 5.5; 5) conveying the acidified liquid fraction through separation means such as a decanter centrifuge or similar means thereby separating the waste liquid and collecting a further solid fraction; 6) combining the solid fraction from the initial leaching mixture with the solid fraction collected from the separation means; 7) drying the combined solid fraction to a dry matter content of at least about 90%; 8) wherein the total amount of spent water in the method calculated from the initial SBM starting material is about 10 times the amount of SBM or less. It also relates to a processed, solid soya protein product derived from soya bean meal (SBM) which protein product comprises 65-75% protein by weight of dry matter, has a protein to potassium weight ratio of at least about 50:1 and a dry matter content of at least about 90%, which product is substantially free of sodium, and wherein at least about 65% by weight of the indigestible oligosaccharide content of the SBM wherefrom the protein is derived has been removed, and the use of such a product.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for manufacturing a processed, solid soya protein product derived from soya bean meal (SBM), comprising:
 (a) leaching an initial mixture comprising milled or flaked or otherwise disintegrated soya bean meal (SBM) and water for 0.15 to 6 hours at a temperature of 5 to 65° C. and at neutral pH to obtain a leached mixture, wherein the dry matter content in the initial mixture is between 8 and 20% by weight;   (b) separating the leached mixture into a liquid fraction and a first solid fraction;   (c) acidifying the liquid fraction to a pH of 3.5 to 5.5 to obtain an acidified liquid fraction;   (d) separating the acidified liquid fraction into a waste liquid and a second solid fraction;   (e) combining the first solid fraction with the second solid fraction to obtain a combined solid fraction; and   (f) drying the combined solid fraction to a dry matter content of about 90% by weight or greater to obtain the solid soya protein product,   wherein the total amount of spent water in the method calculated from the initial SBM starting material is about 10 times the amount of SBM or less; and   wherein the solid soya protein product comprises protein in an amount of 65-75% by weight of dry matter and has a protein to potassium weight ratio of about 50:1 or greater and a dry matter content of about 90% by weight or greater and is substantially free of sodium, and wherein about 65% by weight or greater of the indigestible oligosaccharide content of the SBM has been removed.   
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the initial mixture further comprises biological material from other biomass sources selected from grasses, cereals, seeds, nuts, beans, peas, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the leaching is performed under anaerobic and/or aerobic conditions. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the leaching is performed in one or more interconnected paddle worm or continuous worm conveyers or a continuous stirred tank reactor comprising inlet means for the SBM and the water and outlet means for the product. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the leaching is performed at a temperature of 5 to 50° C. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the leaching is performed at pH of 3.5 to 5. 
     
     
         33 . A processed, solid soya protein product derived from soya bean meal (SBM), comprising protein in an amount of 65-75% by weight of dry matter, having a protein to potassium weight ratio of about 50:1 or greater and a dry matter content of about 90% by weight or greater, wherein the product is substantially free of sodium, and wherein about 65% by weight or greater of the indigestible oligosaccharide content of the SBM has been removed. 
     
     
         34 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , further comprising processed biological material from other biomass sources selected from grasses, cereals, seeds, nuts, beans, peas, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         35 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , wherein the protein to potassium ratio is about 55:1 or greater. 
     
     
         36 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , having a potassium content of about 1.5% or less by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         37 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , having a potassium content of about 1.0% or less by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         38 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , having a magnesium content of about 0.3% or less by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         39 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , wherein the content of indigestible oligosaccharides is 3.0% or less by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         40 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , wherein the content of indigestible oligosaccharides is 2.0% or less by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         41 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 about 35% by weight or greater of the original potassium content of the SBM has been removed; and/or   about 30% by weight or greater of the original magnesium content of the SBM has been removed; and/or   the amounts of calcium and copper are substantially unchanged in comparison with the SBM.   
     
     
         42 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , further comprising, on a dry matter basis, about 20 mg/kg (ppm) or more zinc; and/or about 15 mg/kg (ppm) or more manganese. 
     
     
         43 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , having an isoflavone content of about 0.1% or greater by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         44 . A processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , wherein the amount of iron is increased by about 5% by weight or greater, in comparison with the iron content in the SBM, and/or wherein the product comprises about 110 mg/kg or greater iron by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         45 . A processed, solid soya protein product derived from soya bean meal (SBM), obtained by a method according to claim  1 , comprising protein in an amount of 65-75% by weight of dry matter, having a protein to potassium weight ratio of about 50:1 or greater and a dry matter content of about 90% by weight or greater, wherein the product is substantially free of sodium, and wherein about 65% by weight or greater of the indigestible oligosaccharide content of the SBM has been removed. 
     
     
         46 . A processed solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 , having a water holding capacity of less than 10 mL/g. 
     
     
         47 . A method of preparing a processed food product, feed product, or nutritional supplement, comprising adding a processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33  as an ingredient. 
     
     
         48 . A feed, food product, or nutritional supplement, comprising from 1 to 99% by weight of a processed, solid soya protein product according to  claim 33 .